Someone To Watch Over Me
by Ceillean
Summary: Mara Jade, Luke Skywalker, Shada D'ukal and Talon Karrde - the fab four out on a hunt for the bad guy. With a few twists.


_The Crystal Star_ was a high-end establishment, the kind of place Shada D'ukal refused to enter on her own time. Wearing a dark blue, tight fitting gown designed by the one and only _Vexa Ree Anjyl_, Shada smiled sweetly while slender fingers wrapped around a tumbler filled with a green liquid that cost about as much as the dress she'd been forced to squeeze into. Painting the damned thing onto her skin would have been more comfortable and it would have had the same effect.

She raised the tumbler to her glossed lips, concentrating on the quiet chatter she heard through the miniature microphones incorporated into the blue Mon Cal pearls adorning her ears. Taking a sip from her drink – and actually enjoying it –, Shada cleared her throat and set the glass aside. "Everything's in the green." She said quietly, lifting her gaze to the formidable man seated opposite her.

Shada had to hand it to him – Talon sure knew how to clean up.

Just a few hours earlier, Karrde had still been running around on his ship looking worn and tired but now…she turned her gaze away and folded her hands underneath her chin. Openly staring at him wasn't really that much of a good idea. He'd dressed in a very expensive black suit with a white shirt underneath. It fit him perfectly and with his silver threaded hair bound at the nape of his neck, he truly fit the role of an established businessman.

"Mara and Luke are on the other side. They're covering the north and west entrances and emergency exits." Shada said, slowly running a finger along the brim of the tumbler. "Back-up is in place already, should we need assistance."

"Which we won't." Talon said in his usual velvety and smoky voice. Shada frowned when he smiled at her and she didn't miss the twinkle in his eyes either.

"I hope you're right. Although…" Her voice trailed off for a moment. "It would be highly entertaining if we could rough this place up a bit. I don't like the clientele all that much."

Talon chuckled softly, a deep and inviting sound that made the hairs on her bare arms stand on end. "You should enjoy it, my dear."

Opaqued window fronts, crystal chandeliers dangling off the ceiling, a glossy bar completely constructed of Isbrean marble, tables and chairs made from the most expensive crimson Greel wood to accommodate all sorts of beings – it reeked of luxury and naturally called out to the kind of people who basked in their fortune.

What was there to enjoy when the place was filled with scum that made a living off blackmail and backstabbing?

"I'll enjoy it when this is over with." Shada said quietly, taking another sip from her drink.

Mara leaned forward and scanned the contents of the holographic menu that hovered a few inches above the table top. "We're not paying for this, are we?" She asked, looking through the hologram at her husband.

Luke raised blond brows, "No…" He said cautiously. The moment the word left his mouth, Mara punched in an order and the hologram disappeared with a slight click. "What did you just do?" Luke asked.

"Ordered a drink." Mara sat back and folded her hands in her lap.

She looked lovely. Her hair was piled on the top of her head, thick strands framing her face. She wore a beautiful, twinkly green gown that brought out the color of her eyes and green crystal beads around her neck. The matching green earrings were more than they seemed, though.

"Anything from Shada yet?" He asked.

Mara shook her head. "All quiet. You sure this is the right place?"

"Yes."

A serving unit floated through the air, a tall glass on a platter. It lowered itself to Mara's position and with a gracious nod, she took her drink. Luke eyed the foamy pink thing with raised brows. "What is that?"

"Pink Nebula."

"Mara, we're on duty –"

"I know. No alcohol. Expensive, though. Twenty five credits per glass."

"_Twenty five_?" Luke echoed incredulously.

"You just said we don't have to pay. And since I'm going to be stuck here for the rest of the evening, I'm going to make every second count and keep up appearances, of course. Want a sip?" She held the glass forward but Luke shook his head, trying but failing to hide a smile.

While Mara had a perfect vantage point on the north entrance, Luke kept shifting his gaze from the east entrance to the emergency exit. Even though the place was filled, the two beings the group sought had yet to arrive.

For the past several months, the Jedi along with local law enforcement had been following a notorious crime and drug lord going by the name of Vishous. A strike team had almost brought the man down a few weeks earlier but he'd escaped, continuing with his unlawful business not only with average beings from all over the city but with high standing individuals alike.

Half a dozen Force sensitive beings had died due to the consumption of an illicit drug called _Push_. It caused a complete nervous breakdown after the use of the Force was pushed into dimensions that not even a trained Jedi Master could fathom. The power these people could wield was amazing and it only lasted for several seconds but these seconds not only caused a great deal of damage but also cost them their lives.

Vishous was the distributor and Karrde's sources guaranteed that _The Crystal Star_ was his preferred meeting location.

All they had to do was wait.

About an hour later, Talon extended a hand across the table, taking care to avoid the small flickering candle that stood in the center. "Would you care to dance?"

Surprise flashed through Shada's eyes but she covered it almost instantly as she reached for his hand with a tight lipped smile. "Anything to get out of this chair." As she came around the table, still holding his hand, Talon made sure that the small speaker unit hidden in one of the buttons of his suit was active. He tapped it twice with an index finger, letting Luke know that he was on the move.

Talon heard the return tap through an invisible ear piece.

The music was played by a live band on a small stage that hovered a few inches above ground level. Underneath were lights that changed color every few seconds and blinked on and off to the beat of the music. Four Human men and a Bith played their instruments while a Twi'lek woman dressed in a fantastic yet fairly revealing gown made almost completely of emerald Corusca gems sang in a beautiful, smooth voice. Talon noted four civilian security guards around the stage, trying to blend in but failing miserably. No doubt the value of the woman's dress was beyond measure.

Talon placed a hand on Shada's hip as they slowly moved to the music. With one eye on her immaculate beauty, Talon scanned the crowd around them. The general mood was pleasant with beings seated at their tables enjoying their drinks, some standing at the bar laughing with the barkeep while others stood at the opaque window front simply mingling.

He spun Shada around as the music picked up and enjoyed the silent gasp of surprise that crossed her lips. She raised a perfectly shaped dark eyebrow after pirouetting back into his warm embrace. Talon used the moment to slide his hand upward to the small of her back. Due to the gown's marvelous cut, his fingers touched bare skin. And Shada didn't seem to mind. "I didn't know you could dance." She said.

"Of course you did." Talon whispered, breaking eye contact as he caught movement from the entrance.

"But not like this."

"You'll find I'm full of surprises, my dear."

Frowning, Talon pulled Shada tighter and turned around to get a better look at the entrance. Two men had entered the establishment, both dressed in high profile black suits and one of them carried a silver briefcase electronically shackled to his wrist. Talon lowered his head towards her ear and breathed in Shada's wonderful scent. "He's here." He whispered as much for Shada as well for Mara Jade and Luke who were listening in. "They're heading to a back room behind the bar." Talon went on, watching as their target laughed loudly at something his partner said.

"They're both armed." Shada put in, eyes narrowed over Talon shoulder as she stepped closer. His arms went around her waist. "Blaster tucked inside the belt, holster around chest."

"Did you catch that, Mara?" Talon whispered, his lips only inches away from Shada's neck.

There was an affirmative click through the earpiece.

"This is where the fun begins." Mara said, slowly getting up from the table and stepping away from her empty glass of Pink Nebula. Luke was right behind her, taking her hand as they headed to the bar.

There was a sound dampening field around the bar area; the laughter wasn't as loud as it should have been and the music could barely be heard from where the two of them stood. The barkeep gave them a curious once over, dark brown eyes knowingly flicking towards the door behind him.

Mara gave the man an imperceptible nod and thanked him with a little flurry of the Force. While a serving droid distracted most of the patrons at the bar, Mara and Luke snuck in behind the barkeep, using the Force to shield their appearance. No one paid attention to the door hissing open. When the two of them stepped through, they let go of the Force and pushed outward with their feelings and thoughts.

They stood at the beginning of a long, dimly lit corridor. At the end was a staircase that spiraled downward into a dark abyss. "Can you feel anything?" Mara asked quietly, hiking up the skirt of her gown. She wore a holster around her thigh with a small hold out blaster tucked inside. Luke carried both their lightsabers underneath his suit jacket. He handed hers over while grasping his own in a firm grip.

"Not yet. Let's go."

Mara followed Luke as quietly as she could while wearing high heels. It took only a few moments for them to reach the staircase and as they descended, they heard deep voices coming from a room just off to the side. Luke raised a finger to his lips and used the Force to listen in to the conversation.

"Twenty-five thousand. As agreed." A slight pause. "Let me see the merchandise." There was a shuffling sound; Luke imagined someone turning the briefcase around, showing off whatever the buyer would pay such a great sum of credits for.

A deep rumble of a laugh sounded through the open door of the room. "Ten vials, as requested."

"And you're sure this will work?"

"Have I ever disappointed you?"

"But –" There was a slight pause and the man went on with a quavering voice. "It's a different batch, yes? There have been too many unexplained deaths –"

"Use it wisely and it won't kill you." There was no doubt in Luke's mind that the man speaking was Vishous. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other business to attend to."

"Yes, yes. Of course." The briefcase snapped closed. "It's always a pleasure."

Another slight pause. "I don't shake hands."

Luke gripped his lightsaber tighter and signaled Mara to ready herself. Once Vishous stepped over the threshold, they would finally have him.

Footsteps echoed on the floor as a shadow of a huge man grew along the walls. A moment later, Vishous stepped into the corridor, hands tucked into the pockets of his pants. Electric blue eyes immediately caught sight of Luke and Mara. Vishous stared at them with half a smile on his face until his business associate ran right into him.

"You set me up, didn't you?" Vishous asked in a low voice, glaring down at the shorter man. A sheen of sweat covered his thick, pale face and strands of sticky brown hair partially covered his eyes.

"What?" The man took a step back, eyes wide with fright. "No! Of course not. I would never –"

Vishous whirled around and pulled his arm back, hand tightened into a fist. Luke grabbed onto him with the Force before Vishous could pound the other man's brains out. "This ends here." Luke said slowly.

Blue eyes met blue eyes as the two men stared at each other. Vishous was tall and broad with black hair framing a handsome face and he was pure menace, pure evil. Darkness oozed from the pores of his skin, a dark aura so fierce that it seemed to suck in any source of light. Vishous threw his head back and laughed, arm still angled up into a punch. Luke wouldn't let him go.

"No, Jedi. This is just beginning."

Vishous whipped out a blaster from his pocket and got off two shots. Luke activated his lightsaber, the green blade extending with the all too familiar snap-hiss. Harmlessly, red bolts bounced off his lightsaber. Vishous broke free of the Force hold, which gave Luke a moment of dull surprise. The other man retreated back into the former meeting room, so pale it looked like he was about to fall over and die from a heart attack.

Vishous suddenly threw his blaster towards Mara. He used the moment to turn on his heel and run down the darkened corridor. Heavy footsteps echoed through the empty hall, the two Jedi closely following Vishous through the maze. In the near dark, Luke saw that Vishous had another weapon in his hand and going by the mean glint in his eyes, he was going to use it even if it meant he put his own life in danger.

As Luke stopped, Mara kept running.

"Wait!" He called out, tugging at her with the Force. "He's got a grenade."

But his warning reached her too late. Laughing, Vishous activated the grenade and threw it towards Mara.


End file.
